For the Sake of the Saiyan
by Jade of Lothlorien
Summary: The Dark Army has invaded and left the Earth in shambles. The only thing that keeps them from total domination is a small group of Renegades led by two genetically engineered Saiyans. A/U fic set circa 50 years in the future.
1. Operation: Origin

A/N: This is a fan fiction/original hybrid. It's mostly original characters, but the concept is from DBZ. Yes, I know it's long and it's only going to get longer, but I guarantee a good read. One more thing, Arigatou Ember-chan!  
  
Disclaimer: I neither own nor have any professional affiliation with Dragonball Z. I make no profit from my work (if ONLY!). There, my butt's covered.  
  
Part One--Operation: Origin  
  
There was something in the air. The black clouds brewing above the western horizon threatened unseasonable storms. The sun had long since disappeared behind the jagged mountains and a cold wind blew in strong gusts. Even the air itself felt of rain, cool and damp.  
  
A lone figure stood on the tall cliff overlooking the wreckage and rubble of West Capital City. A young woman, no more than eighteen. She stood tall and lean with the confidence of a veteran beyond her years. Her long red hair whipped wildly around her face in the bluster, and her ocean-colored eyes were full of uncertainty and earnestness. The solid muscles of her arms, shoulders and chest were stiff and tense.  
  
"Anai?" A light, airy voice broke the silence. A second young woman joined the first. This newcomer was slightly taller than the redhead, a bit less slender but no less muscular. Though they shared the same chiseled facial features, the second girl's hair was snowy white and her eyes were an icier blue.  
  
"Anai, did you hear me?" She asked when the first girl didn't acknowledge her.  
  
"Yes, Nemie, I heard you." Anai replied absently.  
  
Nemie walked to stand next to her twin sister and look out across the sky. "What is it? What's out there that's got you spooked?"  
  
"I...don't know. There's a strange smell on the wind. I can't tell what it is."  
  
Nemie crossed her arms over her chest to try and block the chill. She raised her head to sniff the air carefully. Her heightened senses picked up a faint, oily, dark smell.  
  
"Ryukin?" Nemie's voice wavered in uneasiness.  
  
"No, not Ryukin. This is different. This is worse."  
  
"What could possibly be worse than Ryukin?"  
  
"I don't know, but I'm afraid we're going to find out."  
  
The girls stood there for a few more moments, watching as the dark clouds continued to roll in over the azure sky.   
  
"Ren's waiting for us at headquarters. He's going to think we got captured or something if we don't get back soon." Nemie said finally.  
  
Anai nodded and turned her back on the valley below. She lifted her feet off the ground and started to fly away, but a sudden pang made her stop in midair.  
  
Nemie felt the same sensation and spun towards its source.  
  
High above the twins, three forms sped through the air, surrounded by surging white auras. Nemie recognized the ki signatures as soldiers of the Dark Army.  
  
"Anai!" She hissed, "Bogies at one sharp!"  
  
"Lay low and suppress your energy!" Anai ordered quietly. She dropped back onto the ground and looked around frantically for a hiding place. There was none; the cliff was flat and bare.  
  
Nemie landed and craned her neck up to see if the soldiers had seen them. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw them slow and then stop.  
  
When the Dark Warriors turned back, Anai cursed.  
  
"We've been spotted!" She fell into a fighting stance, ready for a battle. Kami, I hope they're just foot soldiers and not officers.   
  
Nemie didn't wait for the troops to make the first move. She bolted up to confront them head-on.  
  
"Nemie! No!" Anai shouted after her, to no avail. Growling at her sister's impetuosity, she followed to help.  
  
The enemies were men dressed in maroon armor with white helmets. One had a large gold lightning bolt on his breast, naming him a sergeant. The other two were unmarked privates.  
  
"Renegades!" The first private shouted, pointing at Nemie as she charged at him.  
  
Nemie threw a punch at him and when he went to dodge, side kicked his stomach. He threw a few punches at her, but she proved much too fast for him. She blocked almost all his attacks; the ones that landed barely winded her. Delivering a spin kick to his head, she cracked his helmet. She finished him easily by slamming both fists down on the top of his head, sending him spiraling to the ground.  
  
The sergeant went after Nemie while her back was turned, but Anai rammed him with all her might. He grunted and fell back a couple feet. Charging an energy attack, the sergeant thrust his open hand toward Anai and a ball of blue light shot at her. She knocked it away and raised both hands over her head in her own ki attack. A huge yellow orb formed in her palms and she threw it with a battle cry. The sergeant tried to evade it, but the blast followed him and finally engulfed him. He screamed and dropped from the sky.  
  
The twins turned to the remaining private, a small, compact young man, close to their age. He stood staring at the girls through his visor with huge eyes. He was shaking with fear.  
  
Nemie glanced over at Anai.  
  
"Looks like Ryukin's been getting new recruits. He's a newbie."  
  
"Kinda young for a Dark Warrior." Anai looked back at the private. "How old are you soldier?"  
  
The private hesitated before answering. "Sixteen."  
  
"Kami!" Anai exclaimed. "That's ridiculous. Ryukin's enlisting children for his psychotic plots. What are your orders, Private?"  
  
His brow furrowed and he shook his head. "I don't have to answer to you, Renegade! General Ryukin's plans are top secret, and I've been trained to resist any kind of torture you evil rebels can come up with!"  
  
Nemie snorted. "Torture? We don't torture people, kid, not even Ryukin's troops. But," She reached out her hand and, in a flash, she had the boy by the throat and a yellow bubble growing in her other fist, "we DO want to know what you're doing in the sector 342."  
  
"Burn in the inferno, you revolting harlots!" The private shouted, spitting in Nemie's face.  
  
In her surprise, Nemie let go of the boy and her burst faded. The soldier took the opportunity to fire a fairly strong blast at her, not anticipating that Anai would have already charged up an attack. The redhead let loose with the energy and blew the private away.  
  
Anai sighed and turned around to see that the soldier's blast had knocked Nemie several hundred feet. The white haired girl shook it off and rejoined her sister with only a slight burn mark on her cheek.  
  
"I hated to do that. He was way too young." Anai said sadly. "But if I'd let him go, he would have reported back to Ryukin and our base would be discovered."  
  
"We do what has to be done, Anai." Nemie replied softly. After a minute, she slumped her shoulders. "Let's head back to HQ, okay?"  
***  
Nemie hid in the branches of a large oak tree, keeping watch while Anai gained access to the Renegades' command center.  
  
Anai felt along the rocky crag wall, looking for the entrance. Her hand touched a flat, loose stone and she pulled it to the side to reveal a computer console. Anai punched a few buttons and leaned forward for the computer to scan her retina pattern. Then she placed her palm against the screen for a hand print. Red letters popped up on the screen that flashed "access confirmed." The rock wall shook slightly as the place where the cliff and the ground met pulled apart, exposing metal steps that led down into pitch-blackness.  
  
"Nemie, come on." Anai said, starting down the steps.  
  
Nemie floated after her sister, creating a sphere of white light to illuminate the way. Once they were both inside, the opening closed, leaving the two in almost total darkness except for Nemie's light.  
  
They descended dozens of steps, the metal walls steadily closing in until, finally, the stairway opened up into a huge, metal room. In the very center of the room was a circle of computer consoles with wide holo-screens: the Mainframe. Against the far wall, three tall tubes filled with greenish water hung, large pipes running from them to another computer: the genetics lab. To the right of that was another doorway that led to the food storage and kitchen. Next to that was a line of beds surrounded by even more computers: the medical lab. Beside that was the door to the Gravity Room. To the left of the entrance was a wall no taller than five and a half feet that blocked the bunks from view. The room the group referred to as the "locker room" was next to the bunks; it was a lavatory complete with showers. To the left of that were a few barred cells for any enemies the Renegades caught.  
  
Five other beings worked around the ready room, busy with routine tasks.  
  
Ren stood at one of the holo-screens, most likely scanning the area for the twins. He was human, tall and fairly handsome with short black hair and intense dark eyes. He acted as leader when Anai and Nemie were away.  
  
Standing beside him was Silva, the Renegades' medical doctor. She was the only human female of the group. Her deep purple hair was cut in short, ruffled layers and her gray eyes always held a sort of curiosity for everything around her.  
  
Sitting in front of the genetics lab was a beast that would have been frightening if the twins hadn't known him. Lorn was an Alikai, a dragon-like creature with brassy skin and scales overlapping joints like his elbows and knees. He had large bat wings that he folded around him like a cape. His feet were sharp talons, but his hands were nimble and very humanoid. His face was human except for the bone ridge that crowned the top of his head. His strength, though great, was outweighed by his superior intelligence.  
  
Kyris, a middle-height human with wild pale blonde hair and an unmistakable recklessness in his blue eyes, monitored the Army's dealings with an infiltrating computer hooked up to numerous spy cameras in Ryukin's base. He was the newest Renegade and was always eager to fight the forces that destroyed his home.  
  
Finally, Mercay could be seen over the wall sitting on one of the bunks, his eyes closed. Mercay, young even by his people's standards, was one of the last Namekian warriors. His skin was green and completely hairless. He had tiny antennae resting on his forehead and tall, sharp ears.  
  
"Hey, they're back!" Silva said suddenly, looking up from the screen.  
  
"Did you find out anything?" Lorn asked, turning in his seat.  
  
Anai shook her head. "Not exactly. There's a storm moving in, though, and it looks pretty bad."  
  
"A storm?" Ren repeated.  
  
"Yeah," Nemie replied, "Anai seems to think something's up. Something bad. And I kind of agree; there's a smell in the air that I've never smelled before and it bothers me."  
  
"Well, we haven't seen anything, and we've been monitoring Ryukin all day. The weather readings don't say anything about severe storms, either." Kyris said.  
  
"Anai is right." Mercay spoke up suddenly.  
  
Everyone turned to where the Namek sat, watching them with cool eyes.  
  
"What do you mean, Mercay?" Silva asked.  
  
He slowly stood up and crossed his arms over his chest. "I mean that something evil is coming. I can feel it. I've seen it in my meditation. I don't know what it is, but it's there."  
  
There was silence for a moment before Kyris spoke. "So what do we do?"  
  
"We can't do anything until we know what it is and how to deal with it." Anai answered. "So until then, let's get back to business as usual. Just keep your eyes open for anything out of the ordinary."  
  
"Right." Kyris said.  
  
As everyone went back to what they were doing before, Nemie walked over to stand next to Lorn, and Anai sat down in a chair in front of the Mainframe.  
  
Ren glanced at her. "Anai, are you okay?"  
  
She nodded. "Yes, I'm fine."  
  
"No you're not. And I have a feeling that it's more than just this unknown sensation you have."  
  
"I'm fine, Ren." When he wouldn't look away from her, Anai sighed. "Okay, if you have to know, Nemie and I ran into a few Dark Warriors on the way back. One of them was only sixteen. I was going to let him go, but he attacked Nemie so I killed him."  
  
Ren sat back in his own chair. "You were protecting your sister, Anai, and the rest of us, too. You shouldn't feel guilty. He chose his own fate by joining the Dark Army."  
  
"I guess you're right. As usual." Anai smiled slightly. "What would we do without you, Ren?"  
  
"Be captured and wither away in prison, I should guess."  
  
Over by the genetics lab, Nemie leaned against the console as Lorn continued to type in data and calculations. When he sat back to survey what he had done, Nemie spoke.  
  
"What have you discovered so far?"  
  
Lorn shrugged his massive shoulders. "Not much, I'm afraid. Even with our technology as advanced as it is, I still don't see how Ryukin's geneticists could have created life forms from a nearly extinct species."  
  
Nemie chewed her bottom lip and gazed at the tubes hanging on the wall. She could hardly believe that she and Anai had come from tubes exactly like those that now only held small plants. She remembered the story their master had told.  
  
Trunks, the son of Vegeta and the last remaining Saiyan, had infiltrated Ryukin's main base, hoping to blow it up and end the Army's invasion. He discovered a secret laboratory with two babies in giant test tubes. Ryukin scientists had mixed genetic codes and essentially built living babies from the Saiyan race in hopes of raising the strongest fighters on the planet. But Trunks stole the babies and brought them up as his own children, as Renegades. Years after that, Ryukin killed Trunks and tried to take the twins back, but they fought him off.  
  
Nemie turned away from the tubes. Eight years had passed since Trunks had died. Ren had been there, though he was only thirteen at the time. So had Silva, at 16. For years they'd been trying to figure out how Ryukin had created Nemie and Anai. When Lorn had arrived, they thought he'd solve the mystery. They were wrong.  
  
Nemie yawned and stretched. "Well, don't work yourself to death, Lorn. Remember that even mighty Alikais need sleep. Speaking of which, I'm turning in. Wake me for my watch at one, okay?"  
  
"Sure Nemie. Sweet dreams." Lorn replied with a grin.  
  
She walked away, unbraiding her hair as she went. She passed by where her sister and Ren sat; Anai had dark circles under her eyes and a haggard look about her.  
  
"Hey sis, I'm going to get a shower and go to bed. Why don't you catch a nap too?"  
  
Anai barely glanced up. "No, I'd better stay up and check some things out."  
  
"Okay, suit yourself." Nemie walked around the wall to the bunk area and found Mercay still meditating. "Hey Mercay, see anything interesting?"  
  
He opened one eye to look at her, shook his head, and closed his eye.  
  
Heh. He hates me. Too bad, he's a great fighter. Nemie thought as she grabbed her clothes and headed into the locker room. Mercay disliked Nemie because she was too brash and impulsive. He was slow to act and very cautious. It didn't matter much to Nemie; she fought the way she fought, she couldn't help that she loved danger.  
  
After taking a quick shower, she went back to the bunks and found Mercay gone and Kyris lying on a bed. He was typing on a small palm pilot.  
  
"Whatcha up to?"  
  
Kyris jumped and threw the palm pilot under his pillow. "Huh? Oh, nothing. Just researching some stuff. Why?"  
  
Nemie shrugged. "Just curious." She tossed her long mane of hair and made her way around the beds. "I'm hitting the sack for a couple of hours, so try not to make too much noise, okay?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
Nemie smiled at him as she pulled the cloth curtain across the room, closing off the three beds that belonged to the girls. She slid under her cold covers and cuddled her pillow until she fell asleep.  
***  
Anai looked up from the holo-screen when Lorn roared in frustration and slammed his hands down on the table.  
  
"Calm down, Lorn, you'll break something."  
  
Lorn growled and walked away from the lab. "I've been working non-stop on this for a very long time. Even my patience runs out eventually." He sighed, folded his wings casually, and leaned against the Mainframe.  
  
"What's the problem? What's got you stumped?" Anai asked.  
  
"Everything. From what I've studied, it's scientifically impossible to create a being from scratch, especially one with specially designed genes." He rubbed his hand over his scaly face. "I'm just about ready to give up. Ryukin would have had to use magic for something like this."  
  
Anai looked down at her hands. She got that look in her eyes; the one she always had when she devised a plan.  
  
"What's on your mind, fearless leader?" Lorn asked, seeing the look.  
  
"What if we searched Ryukin's science data files? His oldest records should show exactly what his geneticists did."  
  
Lorn almost slapped himself. "Of course! Why did we think of this sooner?!" He hesitated. "Wait...those files are protected heavily. One incorrect password and he may be able to track us."  
  
"I'll scout it out; Mainframe will alert us to any tracking devices. If there's no way to get through digitally, then we'll have to do it the old-fashioned way."  
  
"I don't like the sound of that, Anai."  
  
She cracked her knuckles. "I do. And I have a feeling Nemie would jump at the chance as well. First, though, I'll check the digital files." She began typing on the Mainframe and a white picture appeared on the holo-screen.  
  
Lorn watched Anai work with interest. She knew exactly what she was doing.  
  
A few minutes later, Ren and Silva walked over.  
  
"What are you doing, Anai?" Ren asked, leaning on the back of Anai's chair.  
  
"Searching the Army's genetic experiment files for the records of how they made me." Anai answered, her eyes quickly scanning the words on the screen. She gritted her teeth and refrained from cursing. "It's protected. The only way to get these files is through a disk on the Army's main computer."  
  
There was silence for a second as the information sank in.  
  
"Oh Anai...please don't." Silva said.  
  
"It's either that or keep wondering how this all started. And who knows what we could accomplish with technology like that." Anai looked at each of them in turn. "We could finally win this battle."  
  
"But...this is the most dangerous thing you could do!" Silva argued. "Why don't you just call Ryukin on the phone and invite him over for tea?!"  
  
"It can't be all that bad." Anai smiled slightly. "After all, Master Trunks did it on his own."  
  
Silva started to protest, but Ren interrupted her. "When are you planning this little escapade?" When Silva glared at him, he said, "You know very well we're never going to talk her out of it. Besides, she's the boss; what she says goes."  
  
Silva fell silent and they looked back to where Anai sat, still staring at the computer screen. Finally, she nodded. "We'll scope out all the possible entrances and exits and devise our plans tomorrow. Then, tomorrow night, Nemie and I will slip in, slip out, and discover the secret of our birth."  
  
"It's not going to be that simple." Mercay said, joining the group.  
  
"I know that." Anai replied. She stood up and started to walk away. "I'm going to bed now. We'll start 'Operation: Origin' in the morning." 


	2. Infiltration

Part Two-Infiltration  
  
The next day, the Renegades spent most of their time devoted to what Anai referred to as Operation: Origin. They spied on the Dark Army, tested escape routes, and plotted the layout of the Army's command center.  
  
Finally, that evening, the seven of them gathered around a large table where the command center blueprints lay.  
  
"Okay people, here's the deal." Anai said. "Twelve feet to the right of the back entrance, there's a large flood pipe that drains excess water out of the compound. It's approximately three feet in diameter. It leads into the second subbasement. The genetics lab is in the first subbasement. So from the second subbasement there's an elevator shaft that's not used anymore; take it up one level to the genetics lab. We get what we need there and head out the way we came in, as long as we don't get caught. If we get caught...well, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it." She looked up from the blueprints. "Nemie and I are counting on you all to keep an eye out, keep us posted to all activities, and back us up if needed. Got it?"  
  
They all nodded solemnly; they'd been in similar situations before, except Kyris. He was hyper and eager to fight.  
  
"Kyris," Anai said, "I know this is your first real mission, but keep in mind that lives are at stake here. Don't just jump into a fight, think first. Don't fight if you know you're outnumbered, retreat. And don't, DON'T kill anyone if it's not absolutely necessary. That goes for everyone. Are we ready?" She rubbed her hands together with a grin. "Then let's get to it."  
***  
It was almost completely dark outside with no moon or stars to light the black sky. The breeze was cool and damp after the brisk rain.  
  
Nemie and Anai flew ahead of the others, talking.  
  
"This is great! I can't wait to get my hands on some of those Dark Warriors." Nemie said, her usual audacious grin plastered across her face.  
  
"Nemie, this isn't about confronting the Army, this is about stealing their technology."  
  
"I know, I know. Why are you such a stick in the mud? You didn't used to be like this."  
  
"I am not a stick in the mud, I just don't want us to get caught." She looked over at her sister with a smirk on her face. "I'm having as much fun as you, I just hide it well. I still love to fight."  
  
"Yeah, I think it's in our blood." Nemie fell silent as they approached the outer barrier of the compound.  
  
The twins stopped a couple feet short of where the security systems began to wait for the rest of the group. When the other five caught up, Anai reverted back into her leader-mode.  
  
"Okay, you all know what to do. Spread out, keep your eyes open and stay hidden. We'll get through this just fine. Everybody make sure your comm-link's are on. Ready?"  
  
"Let's do it." Kyris said and flew off for his station. Silva followed, and Mercay, Ren and Lorn took off in the opposite direction.  
  
Nemie and Anai waited until they were out of sight before turning back to the task at hand.  
  
"The adrenaline's pumping already." Nemie said. She touched the tiny machine in her ear to turn it on: the communications link that kept everyone in touch. "Comm-link on."  
  
"Activate security cloaking." Anai ordered, pushing a button on the small wristband she wore. It emitted a pulse of energy that camouflaged the wearer from any radar.  
  
"We're set. Let's get down to business." Nemie flew toward the command center, staying close to the ground and trying to stay in the cover of the trees.  
  
The twins found the flood drain, meeting only one guard at the back entrance. They knocked him out before he ever saw them; they then climbed into the pipe and started their trek to the second subbasement. The drain was small so they had to crawl on their hands and knees.  
  
"I'm freezing, Anai!" Nemie said quietly, her hands and the knees of her hunter green gi soaked with the cold, stale stagnant water that settled in the bottom of the pipe.  
  
"Shhh! This metal carries sound! Somebody might hear you at the other end." Anai hissed. Her own blue uniform was soggy but she tried to ignore it.  
  
They continued on for another thousand or so feet before they came to a thick metal grate covering the end of the pipe. Through the grate Anai could see a light high above them. Cautiously peering around, she saw that they were over the sewer system; thick black water swirled in the culvert below. No one was in sight.  
  
Anai looked over her shoulder at Nemie. "We're going to have to fly over this sludge, so be ready to do so when I get this grate out of the way."  
  
She grabbed the bars and pulled. The metal easily bent and twisted under the Saiyan's iron grip. Once the grate was pulled away from the pipe, Anai cast it down into the water and jumped out. She hovered in the air, waiting for Nemie to follow.  
  
From there they hung in the shadows, sneaking around security cameras and the occasional guard. They made it to the abandoned elevator shaft without being detected.  
  
"So far so good." Nemie said, breathing a sigh of relief when she landed in front of the elevator doors.  
  
"Yeah, but this was the easy part. Hurry up and open those doors, will you?" Anai answered.  
  
Nemie nodded and dug her fingers into the rusty metal. She gripped it tightly and shoved the doors out of the way with a whining crunch, revealing a pitch-dark tunnel with no bottom in sight.  
  
"One floor up?"  
  
Anai nodded. "Yep." She lifted off the ground and started up the shaft, holding a small glowing bubble in her hand to light the way. "We're lucky Ryukin or one of his officers hasn't sensed us yet."  
  
"Or he's waiting for us on the next floor with a horde of soldiers."  
  
"Well, that's a pessimistic point of view."  
  
"Actually, I'm kind of hoping he is up there with a horde of soldiers. That would be fun."  
  
They reached the next floor and Nemie forced the doors open. The long hallway was empty except for two sentries at the very end with their backs turned.  
  
"Anai," Nemie whispered and motioned toward the Dark Warriors.  
  
"Take them out quickly."  
  
The twins phased up right behind the guards and knocked them cold without any effort.  
  
"This is too easy." Anai commented as she dragged the soldier into a side room. "We may be walking right into a trap."  
  
Nemie laughed evilly. "Bring it on."  
  
They rounded the corner immediately ran into a group of about ten soldiers heading down the hallway.  
  
"Finally a fight!" Nemie exclaimed as the soldiers saw them.  
  
The twins dropped into fighting stances and waited for the troops to come at them. The Dark Warriors enveloped them and the real fight began.  
  
Anai grabbed one recruit by the collar and tossed him into two more, buying her time to deal with the other three coming at her.  
  
Nemie started to power up, but Anai stopped her with a shout.  
  
"No! You'll give us away! Just get rid of these guys quickly and we'll still be undiscovered."  
  
Nemie nodded and jump kicked her assailant in the head. She punched the next one, kneed him in the stomach and landed an upper cut to his chin. One trooper landed a series of punches to her face and chest, sending her reeling backward.  
  
Anai jumped in and grabbed the attacker by the back of his head. She smashed his face into her knee and delivered a roundhouse kick to his back that felled him like a tree.   
  
Nemie wiped away the drop of blood on her lip and turned just in time to see the only soldier left standing turn tail and run.  
  
"Stop him before he alerts someone else!" Anai said urgently.  
  
"I got him." Nemie lifted off the ground and flew after the lone trooper with lightning speed. She caught up to him easily, wrapped her arms around his torso to hold him and whispered in his ear, "Scream and I'll kill you."  
  
He froze and didn't open his mouth. Nemie smiled to herself and brought him back to Anai.  
  
"What should we do with him?"  
  
Anai thought for a moment and then leaned toward him. "Where's the genetics lab?"  
  
"W-what?" The soldier asked, confused.  
  
"You heard me. Where's the genetics lab?"  
  
He jerked his head in the general direction. "It-it's down that hallway, last door on the left."  
  
"What's the pass code?"  
  
"I...I don't know."  
  
Nemie tightened her bear hug around him until he grunted in pain. "Honestly, I don't know! Only the General, Pichu and the scientists know the pass code!"  
  
Anai shrugged. "Okay then, we'll just go in by force." She nodded at Nemie, who released the man.  
  
He sighed in relief, only to be knocked unconscious by Nemie's blow to his neck.  
  
"Leave him and the others here." Anai said. "This doesn't look like a very populated area."  
  
Nemie tossed him onto the pile of troops and the two of them started down the hallway, backs pressed against the wall.  
  
They got to the door to the lab without any trouble. The door was smooth, seamless metal with a small keypad about waist high.  
  
"Hmm...I don't see anywhere to grab hold of it to open it." Anai said, looking it over carefully.  
  
Nemie held one finger up to the keypad. A marble-sized energy disk formed on her fingertip and sliced through the controls with a whirring sound. Smoke curled up from the burned circuits and the door slid open silently.  
  
Anai glared at Nemie. "If someone detected that, Nemie, I swear to Kami that you're never coming on another mission...ever!"  
  
Nemie glared right back. "Excuse me, oh fearless leader, but if I hadn't done it there would be no mission; we'd be stuck outside the lab, none the wiser. Besides, the only way somebody would feel that little ki is if they were within ten feet of me." She tossed her long braid and walked into the unlit lab.  
  
Anai gritted her teeth and followed.  
  
Other than a few lights on the computer consoles, the room was totally dark.  
  
"Lights on." Anai ordered, and the lights came to life.  
  
It was a fairly big laboratory; over forty computers lined the walls and thirty-some holo-screens hung above them. Charts, printouts and books covered every flat surface, and tables were stacked up with vials, beakers, Bunsen burners, and chemical containers.  
  
"Wow...can you imagine what Lorn could do with all of this stuff?" Nemie said, looking around in awe.  
  
"Yeah, that would be awesome, but let's concentrate on the task at hand. Where's the main database?"  
  
Nemie scanned the computers and her face brightened. "There!"  
  
"Good." Anai slid into the chair in front of the console Nemie indicated. "I'll get the disk, you stand watch."  
  
Nemie nodded and went to stand just inside the door.  
  
Anai's fingers worked over the keyboard quickly and her eyes skimmed the file names that popped up on the screen. Finally, she found what she was looking for.  
  
"Ah-ha! I got it!" She reached up to grab the quarter-sized disk that slid out of the drive.   
Tucking it into the pouch on her belt, she got up and started to join Nemie at the door. But something caught her eye.  
  
Turning, Anai saw a door in the corner that she hadn't noticed before. It was the same as the first door, metal and seamless, but this one had the words "No Admittance" printed on it in large black letters.  
  
"I wonder what's in there." She said to herself.  
  
"Anai, what are you doing?" Nemie asked, watching as her sister moved toward the back door.  
  
"I want to see where this goes."  
  
"Wait for me!"  
  
The twins broke into the room the same way they had gotten into the lab. Like the lab, the second room had no lights on. This one, though, had an eerie green shadow stretched across everything.   
  
"Lights on." Anai said softly, overwhelmed by the feeling she got. It was indescribable; almost like she was in the presence of a ghost. A chill ran up her spine, but nothing compared to the sensation she felt when the lights came on and she could see clearly.  
  
A large tube like the ones the Renegades had back at headquarters hung from the ceiling, filled with the same bubbly green liquid. But this one had something...someone in it.  
  
Taking a closer look, Anai gasped. Nemie recognized the figure too...if only from old pictures and vivid descriptions.  
  
It was a man, seemingly resting in suspended animation. Floating in the tube, he wore no clothes, but he had an oxygen mask over his mouth and nose and hoses connected to his arms and legs. He was short in stature and stocky in build with large, taut muscles. His chest, slowly rising and falling with shallow breaths, was deeply scarred from past battles. His face, even in "sleep" was hard and unforgiving. Tall, wild black hair drifted in the liquid.  
  
"V-Vegeta?" Nemie whispered hoarsely.  
  
"But...how? He's been dead for thirty years." Anai managed to say.  
  
"It has to be Vegeta. I mean, look at him. You can see Trunks's features in his face. And...that hair. It just has to be him!"  
  
"How in Kami's name did they do this? Is it a clone?"  
  
Nemie shook her head slowly, never taking her eyes off the man. "It couldn't be...a clone wouldn't have scars."  
  
Anai blinked a few times and snapped out of her awe. She spun to face her sister. "Do you realize what this means? The Army can bring people back from the dead! It's amazing!"  
  
"And unbelievably bad for us."  
  
"What?" Anai tilted her head in confusion. "How so?"  
  
"Think about it, Anai. Why would Ryukin want to bring back a past warrior from the dead?"  
  
Anai thought for a moment before she answered with wide eyes. "The same reason he'd want to create baby Saiyans. To recruit a staggeringly powerful being to do his dirty work."  
  
"And what better choice than the almighty Prince of Saiyans?" Nemie nodded. "It makes sense. Vegeta was the most brutal Z Fighter; of course he'd make a great soldier. It would take just the right lie from the General to get Vegeta to fight on their side."  
  
Anai got that hard, determined look in her eyes. "We've got to get him out of here."  
  
"Are you crazy?! How would we do that and still be able to escape in one piece? And besides, if the Army is regenerating him, he may not be totally stable." Nemie argued.  
  
"Well, check and see if he is." Anai gave Nemie that stony stare. "We can't afford to leave him here and let the Army go through with their plans." When Nemie just stared back and didn't move, Anai sighed. "Master Trunks risked his life for us in a situation almost exactly like this. Who are we to turn away from his father who needs us?"  
  
Nemie's set shoulders slumped and she went to check Vegeta's status file. She leaned over the black screen on the ledge in front of Vegeta's tube. She tapped a few buttons and brightly colored lines appeared on the screen. Nemie read over the information quickly.  
  
"His heartbeat and breathing are stable...barely," Nemie glanced at Anai, "but his ki power is almost nonexistent."  
  
"So he's safe to move."  
  
"Yes but...being without his ki power, his essential life force, for so long, he'll be in a comatose state."  
  
Anai scratched her head in thought. "Well...maybe Silva will be able to help him."  
  
"That's a big maybe."  
  
Anai slouched against the wall. "We don't have time to argue about this, Nemie. We've got to get out of here and soon." She paused. "Break him out."  
  
"Anai, I don't think--"  
  
"I said, break him out. That's an order."  
  
Nemie gritted her teeth. "Okay, okay." She looked up at the giant capsule and shook her head before kicking the base of it with all her might. The glass shattered and green liquid spilled out onto the floor. Vegeta, still hooked up to the oxygen tank, limply slid out of the huge hole at the bottom of the tube.  
  
Immediately, a shrill siren screamed.  
  
"Kuso! We set off an alarm!" Nemie shouted.  
  
Anai ripped the oxygen mask off of Vegeta, who began to cough and sputter. She grabbed a white lab coat that hung on a peg by the door and wrapped him in it. She picked him up easily and slung him over her shoulder.  
  
She turned to Nemie. "We gotta fly."  
  
"We can't go out the back way with him."  
  
"I know. That means our only exit is the front door."  
  
Nemie grinned. "Cool."  
  
As the twins ran out of the labs at full speed, Nemie flipped on her comm-link.  
  
"Ren?"  
  
"We're here, Nemie. Sounds like you two got sloppy."  
  
"Yeah, we hit an alarm. Look, we've got a passenger, so we're coming out the front way."  
  
"A passenger?"  
  
"I'll explain later. Just cover the entrance and cut us a path." Nemie darted around a corner, a ki blast ready just in case they ran into trouble.  
  
"Gotcha."  
  
"See you when we get out there."  
  
"Over and out."  
  
Anai and Nemie skidded to a stop when they spotted a large group of soldiers running towards them.  
  
"Too many to fight." Anai said. "Nemie, can you..."  
  
"Way ahead of you." Nemie balled her hands into fists close to her waist, charging a special technique that she called a Shatter Burst. When the energy was high enough, she brought her hands up in front of her face, wrists crossed and fingers curled. A large bright yellow orb formed in her palms. With a loud cry, she released the ball and it rushed toward the oncoming troops. Right before it struck the group, Nemie jerked her hands down and the blast shattered into dozens of smaller bursts that exploded on contact.  
  
The fighters screamed; the few that were still standing backed away. Nemie flew towards them and quickly took them out with kicks and punches.  
  
"Come on Anai! We gotta go!"  
  
Anai flew after Nemie, down the many halls in the direction of the front entrance.  
  
They both stopped short when they went through a doorway and found themselves in the War Hall, the main room in the Army base. Waiting for them was an entire platoon of warriors and a dozen or so large, black, purple, red and orange dogs with haunting blank eyes. Hellhounds.  
  
Anai cursed and got ready for the attack. But none came.  
  
Then someone stepped out in front of the mass. It was a woman, nearly eight feet tall, with wild navy blue hair and eyes that glinted a hundred different colors. Her skin was dark and her muscles bulged beneath maroon armor. Two pendants with gold flames on her shoulders attached to a jet-black cape. Pichu, Ryukin's second in command and creator of the Hellhounds.  
  
Pichu chuckled with that sinister voice. "It seems you've found our little gladiator. It's a pity you spoiled the surprise. We were hoping to spring him on you in battle soon."  
  
"Shut up Pichu. You talk to much." Nemie snapped.  
  
Pichu raised an eyebrow. "Really? Well, how about I stop talking and kill you two."  
  
"Sounds like a plan to me." Anai replied, setting Vegeta carefully on the ground and stepping forward. She barely glanced at Nemie and the white-haired Saiyan nodded.  
  
Together, they let out a shout as both their power levels raised dramatically. Yellow auras surrounded them and a transformation took place. Their muscles swelled, their eyes turned emerald green and their hair, spiking out in all directions, became gold.  
  
"Oh, I'm scared now." Pichu said in mock fear. "I'd better run away from the big scary Super Saiyans." She practically spat the last word.  
  
Anai curled her lip as she dropped back into a fighting stance. She cupped her hands together close to her waist.  
  
"KAAAMEEEEHAAAAMEEEEHAAAAA!" She thrust her hands forward and let loose with an extremely powerful blast. A giant yellow ball spiraled from her palms into the group of soldiers, who scattered as quickly as they could. The explosion swallowed a handful of fighters and one or two hellhounds.  
  
"Ren!" Nemie barked into her comm-link, "We need backup, right now!"  
  
"We've kinda got our hands full outside, Nemie." Ren answered distractedly.  
  
"Pichu showed up, Ren. We can't do this on our own."  
  
He cursed. "We'll try to get through. Just hang on as long as you can."  
  
"Right. Over and out." Nemie shot up into the air and extended her hands. She let loose with a wild Renzoku Energy Dan, the rapid machine gun blasts blowing up everything in sight. It wasn't enough, though. With a half angry, half-exhilarated cry, she plummeted straight down into the fray, quickly getting lost in the mad kicking and punching.  
  
Somehow, the sisters ended up fighting back to back.  
  
Anai called over her shoulder to Nemie. "You finally got your fight, sis. Happy?"  
  
"You could say that." Nemie flashed her reckless smile. "What about you? Having a good time?"  
  
Anai clotheslined a soldier before she answered. "I guess. It'd be better if the others were helping us out. Where are they?"  
  
As if on cue, a chunk of the wall erupted inward and Lorn flew in on his giant dragon wings. Ren, Silva, Kyris and Mercay were right behind.  
  
"Hey guys!" Nemie shouted, back-flipping to avoid being kicked, "Come join the party!"  
  
"We would, Nemie, but the host sucks." Ren replied, throwing a few energy blasts into the group. "Let's get out of here!"  
  
"Wait!" Anai pushed through the wall of Dark Warriors to Vegeta's body. She scooped him up and bolted for the hole in the wall. Nemie was right behind her.  
  
"Renegades! Retreat!" Anai flew as fast as she possibly could away from the Army compound, clutching Vegeta, still wrapped in a coat, close to her. 


	3. Discovery

Part Three-Discovery  
  
"Is everybody okay?" Anai asked when the last person was inside headquarters and the entrance was shut.  
  
"I got bit by a hellhound, but it's not bad." Kyris said, touching his shoulder where blood had stained the torn gray fabric red. "I'm more interested why you have Vegeta wrapped up in a lab coat."  
  
Anai gave a start. "How-how did you know who he was?"  
  
Kyris blinked and stammered a response. "Well, I...uh..."  
  
"You've been searching through our history files when I told you not to, haven't you?"  
  
Kyris looked down at the floor. "Y-yeah, I was."  
  
"What? Wait, what's going on?" Lorn asked.  
  
Anai glanced down at Vegeta's limp body and sighed. "I'll explain after we get him in a bed." She walked over to the medical lab, placed Vegeta on one of the beds and covered him with a sheet. "Silva, hook him up to your machines and do whatever you can for him."  
  
"Okay..." Silva began pushing buttons on her computer.  
  
"Anai, I already told you," Nemie said, stepping toward her, "he's in a coma and he'll stay that way unless we find a way to get his ki to a stable level."  
  
"Hang on a second." Ren said. "Story, please."  
  
Anai nodded. "He's Vegeta, Trunks's father."  
  
The group gasped and Mercay started to ask a question, but Anai stopped him.  
  
"I don't know how he's alive now, but he is. Nemie and I found him in a generation tank in the lab. We think Ryukin was trying to bring him back to fight in the Dark Army, like he did with us. I couldn't just leave him."  
  
There was silence for a moment.  
  
"This is unbelievable." Lorn muttered. "How can they bring people back from the dead?"  
  
"Didn't you guys say the Z Fighters used to do it all the time?" Kyris asked.  
  
"Yes, back when they had the dragonballs." Mercay answered. "But since Earth's Guardian is gone, there are no more dragonballs."  
  
Anai snapped her fingers. "Maybe this will help." She reached into her belt pouch and pulled out the small data disk.  
  
"You mean you actually remembered your main purpose for infiltrating the enemy base in the first place?" Mercay asked dryly. "Simply amazing."  
  
"Hey, can it, Greenie. We risked our necks to get this piece of information while you sat outside and watched!" Nemie said hotly.  
  
"Waited outside and fought the army so you two could entertain yourselves by blasting random soldiers, you mean." Mercay shot back.  
  
"Look you pointy eared slug, Anai and I were nearly killed trying to steal this important disk. The data on that thing could help us win this war and all you can do is complain." Nemie snorted, thrusting her finger an inch from his face.  
  
"Okay you two, that's enough." Anai ordered.  
  
Nemie went on like she hadn't heard. "I don't need some giant booger getting up in my face and telling me I'm an air head teenager that doesn't know how to fight a war. I may be young Pickle-Boy, but aside from Anai, I'm in charge. Remember that."  
  
Mercay started toward her, his unbridled anger raging in his eyes. Anai stepped between them.  
  
"I said that's enough. Stop where you are Mercay."  
  
The Namek growled, showing his fangs, but took a step back in submission.  
  
Anai glared at Nemie. "Sis, do us all a favor and go get something to eat."  
  
"But--" Nemie started to protest, but her grumbling stomach made her realize that her moodiness was because of her lack of food. Nodding curtly, she started in the direction of the kitchen.  
  
Anai turned her icy gaze on Mercay. "You, tend to Kyris while Silva works on Vegeta."  
  
Lorn held out his clawed hand toward Anai as the Namek grabbed Kyris and walked away. "If I may...?"  
  
Anai placed the disk in Lorn's offered palm. "By all means. And please tell us what you find."  
  
"I will, believe me." He turned on his heel and headed for the lab.  
  
"Anai..." Silva's voice made Anai wince. She didn't like the concerned tone in the human's voice, "there's a problem."  
  
"What?"  
  
Silva looked up from the readings on the screen. "What Nemie said earlier was true. His ki energy is so depleted that he'll be in this state until we bring it back up." Her intense gray eyes were full of uncertainty. "But I don't know of anyway to restore an empty ki reservoir."  
  
Glancing at Ren, Anai chewed the inside of her cheek. "Ren, can you do some research to find something, anything at all that can help us here?"  
  
Ren scratched his head. "I can try." He saw the way Anai halfway closed her eyes in a defeated sigh and spoke up. "Hey fearless leader, we'll do what we can around here. You get some sleep."  
  
"No, I'm fine--"  
  
"That wasn't a request, Anai, that was an order." When the redhead looked up in defiant alarm, Ren made his voice more soothing. "You're in no condition to work, so I'm pulling rank. Go to bed."  
  
Reluctantly, Anai nodded, too tired to argue. She walked to the bunks, muscles lax from exhaustion.  
  
Not far away, Nemie came out of the kitchen, the plate in her hands piled high with food. As she made her way over to the genetics lab, she practically inhaled a loaf of bread and a block of cheese.  
  
By the time she got to where Lorn was sitting in front of a holo-screen, there was nothing left of her snack.  
  
Lorn chuckled slightly. "An appetite like a true Saiyan."  
  
"And I'm still hungry."  
  
"Go easy on those reserves, we're running low."  
  
"Uh-huh. What have you found?"  
  
"Some very interesting things." Lorn brought up a screen and leaned out of the way so Nemie could read what was on it.  
  
Her brows pinched together in concentration. "'Sufficient DNA was not available for total cloning to take place. Animal tissue was required to fill in chromosome sequential gaps. Incomplete DNA was implanted into host body...' Wait a minute. Host body?"  
  
Lorn nodded. "It seems that you and Anai were once human embryos. Possibly even fully developed neonatals that were altered with Saiyan genes. I haven't gotten to where it tells your development."  
  
Nemie's face turned ghostly white. "That's...that's terrible! They took us from our mother and mutated us?! Those monsters!"  
  
"Look, read this. It explains a little more."  
  
Nemie went on to read that they were in fact zygotes when the Saiyan chromosomes were injected. The fertilized eggs were left to grow in generation tanks for eleven months.  
  
"The log ends there." Lorn said, closing the file and swiveling in his chair.  
  
"That must have been when Master Trunks rescued us." Nemie said, still in shock about the revelation. "Is there anything else on this disk?"  
  
"One more file, but I haven't looked at it yet. I'm not sure what it is."  
  
"Well pull it up and we can sort through it together."  
  
"Right." Lorn began typing and another screen of words popped up. The Alikai gasped at the title that flashed across the page. "I...I don't believe it!"  
  
"What?" Nemie read it and nearly fainted. "We need to tell Anai about this!"  
  
"Not now. I saw her going to bed a few minutes ago. She can read it for herself later. Let her sleep; she needs it."  
***  
Anai grinned smugly. "Come on, Nemie, you can do better than that!"  
  
The white-haired Saiyan chuckled and charged her sister, fists at the ready. She punched at Anai's face and turned the punch into a clothesline when the redhead ducked. Anai blocked the blow easily and delivered a kick to Nemie's side, knocking her off balance. Nemie staggered back a foot or two and started at Anai again, but suddenly stopped in her tracks.  
  
The look on Nemie's face made chills run up Anai's spine. Her blue eyes were struck with sheer terror and her limbs quivered in fear.  
  
"Nemie? What's wrong?" Anai asked, her voice wavering slightly.  
  
Nemie's mouth moved in answer, but no sound came out. An instant later, she disappeared without a trace.  
  
"Sis?" Anai looked around, hoping it was just one of the girl's stupid little pranks. The cold feeling Anai had in her stomach indicated it wasn't. "Nemie?! NEMIE?!" She shouted, spinning on her heel to look around. For the first time, she noticed her surroundings.  
  
She was standing in complete darkness. Not even a photon of light entered that black, empty room.  
  
Anai felt her heart begin to race and she squeezed her eyes shut, silently trying to force her breathing to slow.   
  
Suddenly, she heard a voice. It was a soft, hoarse voice like tarnished silver.  
"Why don't you just ask Trunks? He'd know what to do."  
  
Anai's eyes flew open at the mention of her sensei. She still saw nothing, but...a flash of something to her right caught her attention. It was gone when she turned her head, but she thought it had looked like something white and furry.  
  
A shrill scream sliced the silence, making Anai scream, too. It was Nemie, without a doubt.   
Immediately following the scream, more cries for help echoed in the blank space. She recognized them all as her friends'.   
  
"Hang on, guys! I'll find you!" Anai shouted to the emptiness. She hadn't taken two steps when she ran into something resembling a concrete wall. She tumbled numbly to the ground. A sudden bright light shined in her eyes, making her shy away.  
  
She couldn't see anything clearly, but she vaguely made out the silhouette of...Vegeta. Next to him stood a shapeless cloud of black smoke with wild blue eyes.  
  
"What--"  
  
The cloud cut in with a cold, gravel voice.  
  
"You could have saved them, you know. You're just not as careful as you used to be. If you had only seen..."  
  
Without a word, Vegeta held up his hand and released a powerful Big Bang attack, engulfing Anai in white hot ki energy.  
  
"NO!" Anai cried at the top of her lungs, sitting blot upright in bed. She clutched the blankets with a white knuckled grip, her fingernails ripping through the fabric. Tears ran down her flushed cheeks.  
  
"Anai?" Kyris was the first to her side, his blue eyes wide with concern. "What is it?"  
  
Nemie wasn't far behind. "Sis? Are you okay?"  
  
Anai could barely stop sobbing enough to speak. "I-I had a...nightmare. It w-was terrible!" She closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths to calm down.  
  
Sitting on the edge of the bed, Nemie looked closely at the redhead. "Do you want to tell me about it?" When Anai shook her head forcefully, Nemie shrugged. "Okay, then. Calm down, it wasn't real. It was just a dream."  
  
Anai sniffled a little more, then stood up and tried to smooth out her wrinkled T-shirt and exercise shorts. "There was one thing..." She said softly.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Something said to me, 'Why don't you ask Trunks? He'd know what to do.'"  
  
Nemie cocked her head quizzically. "How can we ask Trunks anything? I hate to remind everyone of this, but he's gone."  
  
Anai chewed the inside of her cheek in thought. Suddenly her eyes lit up. "His personal files. There might be something in there that can help Vegeta."  
  
  
  
^Ä^~^Ä^~^Ä^~^Ä^  
If you would like to be notified when the next section is posted (I don't know when that will be) please e-mail me: sway_j60@hotmail.com  
Feel free to e-mail me just to chat, too! 


	4. The Secret of the Tower

A/N: Arigatou to the 2 people who reviewed the last 3 chapters. It doesn't really matter, I'm not going to abandon this fic just because nobody reviewed it (I can see Ember jumping for joy, lol). Here's the next part, enjoy.  
  
Disclaimer: Don't own, don't make any money from writing this. There.  
  
  
Part Four-Secret of the Tower  
  
  
Anai ran back into the ready room, Nemie on her heels.  
  
"Wait, Anai, before you look in Trunks's personal files, Lorn wants you to look at the experiment log that was used to create us."  
  
"I can do that later. Right now, I've got to find a way to help Vegeta."  
  
"But there's something even more important on those disks, Anai."  
  
"Like what?" Anai kept up her brisk stride across the compound.  
  
"Like the scientific process Ryukin used to bring Vegeta back from the dead."  
  
Anai stopped abruptly, making Nemie slam into her from behind. Anai spun to face her sister. "Why didn't you come get me to see this earlier? It may have information that we could use!"  
  
"We wanted to let you sleep. But now that you're up, you can read it."  
  
Anai followed Nemie over to the genetics lab where Lorn still sat, skimming over the information on the disk.  
  
"Show me what you found, Lorn." Anai said, leaning over the Alikai's broad shoulder.  
  
Lorn started back at the beginning of the document, and Anai began to read:  
  
"Remains of specimen were extracted from cryogen chamber and deposited in Class AA Generation Tank. Tank was filled with fluid containing chemicals C, Co2, H2O, and experimental catalyst Kolmine.   
  
"General Ryukin supplied 5,000 joules of initial energy every 12 hours for the first 36 hours. 1,500 joules of energy were provided every 24 hours afterwards.  
  
"Kolmine reacted as predicted. Remains of specimen began to be restored approximately 1,000,000 cells per hour."  
  
Anai couldn't read any more. She stood up straight, her face stony and her eyes hooded.  
  
"So...they used some sort of energy absorbing chemical that restores lost cells? Incredible. Do I even want to know where Ryukin got all that energy?"  
  
Lorn glanced up at her. "The log doesn't say, but I have a feeling I know."  
  
Anai nodded. So did she. Ryukin had a special ability to assimilate the ki energy imbedded in humans and put it to use. Ryukin couldn't keep for himself; he'd explode with the overload. Most of the time, he would absorb the energy from the people he conquered and used the ki to power up his soldiers. In this case, he consumed the ki from innocent victims and injected it into this unusual liquid to grow Vegeta's cells back.  
  
"I'm glad you showed me this." Anai said softly. "But it doesn't help us. All this experiment was able to do is create the cells. It didn't restore the energy. We still have to find something to bring him back."  
  
She turned away and started back towards the Mainframe. She slid into a seat and pulled up a hidden file that no one had ever opened except Trunks Brief himself.  
  
A window popped up on the three-dimensional screen: Password Required.  
  
Anai bit her lip and said softly, "Bulma."  
  
The screen changed to a page filled with text. Anai took a deep breath and began to skim the words. She tried to block out the emotions that came with reading a form of her master's "journal" and focus on the objective content. After a little less than an hour, Anai found something that caught her attention. She clicked a link on the screen and a colorful, detailed map appeared. Anai stood up to look down at the map that spread across the table top. A map of Earth.  
  
"Nemie? Come here a second."  
  
"Yes?" Nemie said, coming up beside her.  
  
"Look at this." Anai indicated a tall, slender tower that stretched up far above the map.  
  
Nemie stared at it curiously. "Wow! I've never seen anything like that in Sector 129. What is it?"  
  
"I don't know." Anai gingerly touched the spot on the screen and a new window sprang up. The two Saiyans read with interest.  
  
"Karin's Tower and Kami's Lookout."  
  
"Kami?" Nemie said, "The former Guardian?"  
  
"It must have been his sanctuary." Anai reasoned. "But I've never heard of Karin's Tower." She tapped the button beneath the title and the map image changed to text.  
  
It was the story of Karin, the intellectual cat that grew and harvested the magic senzu beans. The beans healed wounds and...replaced lost energy reservoirs.  
  
"Sweet Kami, Anai! You found it!" Nemie exclaimed happily. She jumped up and down excitedly, laughing.  
  
Anai leapt up and the girls hugged tightly, both grinning with relieved delight.  
  
"What in the world is going on?" Silva asked, walking over with the others not far behind.  
  
"Yes, an explanation of why you two are acting like sugar-high children would be nice." Mercay interjected.  
  
Anai spared a glare at him, but otherwise ignored the remark. "We found something that will solve our Vegeta problem. Take a look." She pressed a button on the computer and the screen expanded so everyone could read it.  
  
"This is great!" Ren said. "Are we going to talk to Karin?"  
  
"I think it would be better if just Nemie and Anai went." Kyris jumped in quickly.  
  
"Why?" Silva asked. "I'd like to meet this Karin."  
  
Kyris stammered his response. "Well, he might be...I don't know, scared or something. I mean, if just the twins go, then he won't feel threatened."  
  
"He has a point." Anai replied reasonably. "Karin, if he's even still alive, has been up in this tower for who knows how long, seemingly alone. And from what I've read on here, he doesn't care much for humans...or Saiyans."  
  
"So when do we leave?" Nemie asked, immediately bouncing on the balls of her feet in anticipation.  
  
"Not before dawn." Anai answered. "We all need sleep, traveling will be easier in daylight, and maybe by then Ryukin's troops will be tired of searching for us." She thought a few minutes before speaking again. "I don't know how long we'll be gone. It shouldn't take us long to find the tower, but we may stay a day or two, depending on what we find there. We'll need supplies."  
  
"I'll pack some capsules." Silva offered.  
  
"Thanks Silva. Do me a favor and stick miniature holo-vid 5 in there too."  
  
"What? Why?"  
  
"Just in case we have to convince this cat that we are who we are."  
  
Silva nodded and walked away to prepare the capsules.  
  
Anai turned to the others. "The rest of you, except Mercay of course, get some sleep. I'll finish up here, then retire myself."  
***  
The next morning around seven o'clock, Anai and Nemie finished a small breakfast of eight pieces of toast, five eggs, one grapefruit, and three bananas each.   
  
"Man, I'm going to hungry again in an hour." Nemie complained as she stepped out of the shower and flared her ki to dry herself off.  
  
"I know, Nemie, me too. But our food is running low and we have to save it until we find another one of the Army's provision transports to hijack." Anai replied as she pulled her hair up in a tight ponytail.   
  
"Girls? You decent?" Ren's voice asked from the entryway of the locker room.  
  
"Um, just a sec." Nemie pulled on a pair of shorts and a shirt. "Yeah, come in."  
  
Ren entered, carrying a large box. He set it on the bench by the wall. "I have something for you."  
  
"What is it?" Anai asked, eyeing the box curiously.  
  
"Remember how Bulma had files on everything she ever invented? Well, I found something in there that I thought you two might like to have." He opened the box and pulled out two white and gold chest plates.  
  
"Is that...Saiyan armor?" Nemie asked, reaching out to take one of the proffered items.  
  
Ren nodded with a smile. "I had the computer working on it last night. The rest is in the box. I had to make some adjustments, but now it should be a perfect fit."  
  
Anai grinned and pulled the blue garments out of the box. "Thanks a million Ren."  
  
"No problem. I just figured you'd better make a good impression on this Karin." He turned and walked out to let them get dressed.  
The two put on the armor and stood looking at each other. The armor's undershirt and pants were deep blue and skin-tight the chest plate was lightweight and durable, and the gloves and boots were like a second skin.  
  
"We look like true Saiyans now." Nemie said doing an experimental kick to see how flexible the material was. She was surprised when the fabric gave no resistance.  
  
The rest of the Renegades were waiting for them in the ready room when the twins came out.  
"Trunks would be proud." Lorn said appreciatively.  
Nemie chuckled and flipped forward effortlessly to show off.  
  
"Did you remember the video hologram?" Anai asked, taking the capsule case from Silva and sliding it into the front of her armor.  
  
Silva nodded. "Yes, number 5. There's also a small capsule house in there, a refrigerator with food and drinks, a first-aid kit, a digital palm map and a change of clothes for each of you. Just in case."  
  
"Thank you, Silva." The redhead turned to her charges. "Like I said before, I'm not sure when we'll be back, but if we don't return in a couple of days, come looking for us. As usual, Ren's in charge while we're away, and no one is to do anything that might attract unwanted attention. Especially now, what with the Dark Warriors searching for Vegeta." She glanced over at the still unconscious form lying in a medical bed. "Take care of him as best you can and guard him with your lives. Those are your orders until we get back. Understood?"  
  
They nodded silently. It wasn't so unusual for the twins to leave on a solo mission, but this time the Renegades had to be extra careful; if Ryukin found the headquarters while the main defenders were gone, there would be no chance of fighting the enemy off.  
  
"Take care." Kyris said as they turned to go.  
  
Nemie grinned over her shoulder at him. "We will. Don't you worry about us!"  
  
Mercay watched as the girls started up the staircase that led to the exit. Be careful. He thought. Remember this is for the sake of the Saiyan.  
  
Once outside, Nemie made sure the coast was clear before they took off in the direction of Karin's Tower.  
  
At first, the journey was quiet except for the whoosh of their surging ki and the wind. They were lost in thought about different things: Trunks, Vegeta, the Dark Army, and especially what they would find at Karin's Tower.  
  
Below them, the earth flew by. They passed dense forests, meadows, dry sandy deserts, and tall snow-capped mountains.  
  
"How far exactly do we have to go?" Nemie asked, breaking the silence.  
  
Anai pulled the capsule box out of her armor and drew out a small digital map. She tapped a button and a translucent screen sprang to life.  
  
"No more than 2,000 miles." She said, replacing the box to its hidden pocket.  
  
Nemie grinned. "Okay. Hey, see that really tall mountain up there?" She pointed to a towering peak far along the horizon that's highest point was shrouded with clouds.   
  
"Yes."  
  
"Race ya to it."  
  
Anai chuckled. "You're on. On your mark, get set, GO!" Her ki flashed brighter and she bolted across the sky like a bullet.  
  
Letting a burst of her own ki loose, Nemie wasn't far behind.  
  
They flew as fast as they could, feeling the air pressure build in front of them. Then, as they had expected, a deafening sonic boom resonated through the air.  
  
Anai laughed out loud, flying dramatic, gracefully loops around Nemie, who struggled to keep up.  
  
"If you had trained with me in the Gravity Room when I was working on my speed, you would have been able to beat me." The redhead commented lightly.  
  
"Shut up, Anai! I can still beat you!" Nemie powered up and transformed to Super Saiyan. Instantly, she left her sister behind in a fading yellow energy trail.  
  
"You're cheating!" Anai shouted after her, turning Super Saiyan and giving chase.  
  
Their good-natured arguing and romping went on for a good part of the day. They stopped once for lunch, then resumed their child-like playing.  
  
Suddenly, Anai stopped. Nemie joined her, asking what was wrong.  
  
Before Anai answered, she consulted her map. "We're here."  
  
Nemie looked around. "What? I don't see anything but trees and blue sky."  
  
"These are the coordinates on the map. Karin's Tower should be right here."  
  
"Anai, there's nothing here. Oh Kuso, what if Ryukin destroyed the tower, too?! We're all screwed!"  
  
"Calm down, sis! Let's just think for a minute. Where-" Anai faltered mid-sentence.  
  
The sky was changing. Not a hundred yards away, the air literally began to twist, forming a very large solid mass.  
  
The twins watched in awe as the shifting atmosphere took shape. It became a thin column that stretched high into the sky, extending farther than the eye could see. A few minutes later, the Saiyans were staring at a chipped stone pillar that led up to a landing. Above the landing were the remains of what looked like the bottom half of a child's spinning top, only much more colossal. The structure appeared to have just collapsed in on itself; it was left in mangled ruins.  
  
"Kami's Lookout." Anai managed to say. Her voice was barely a whisper.  
  
"And that must be Karin's Tower." Nemie said, pointing to the platform below the lookout. Her eyes were wide with amazement and sparkled with excitement.  
  
They floated there, staring, for what seemed like an eternity. Finally, Nemie snapped out of her daze and grabbed her sister's hand.  
  
"Come on, let's see if anybody's home." 


	5. Deception and Betrayal

A/N: Not much to say at the moment. As usual, big thanks to Ember (and Andy, and the kids *grin*). Also thank you to Savannah (and Veggie, her Saiyan Prince.)  
  
  
Part 5-Deception and Betrayal  
  
Nemie and Anai warily levitated up to the short metal railing that encircled Karin's Tower. Before landing, they looked around, searching for any sign of life.  
  
"It looks deserted." Anai said softly. She felt her heart sink. If Karin was gone, then there was no hope for Vegeta.  
  
"Let's check it out." Nemie set down gently on the cracked wooden floor. She felt the old planks give slightly under her boots.  
  
Anai landed just behind her and the twins started their exploration. They hadn't taken three steps when a voice stopped them.  
  
"I believe you're looking for me."  
  
Nemie spun quickly on her heel to face the speaker, but Anai froze in place.  
  
That voice, soft but haggard...like tarnished silver. The voice from her dream.  
  
"It's alright, Anai. I'm not going to hurt you or your sister."  
  
Both girls' faces went ghostly pale. Anai turned slowly to see the mysterious person.  
  
He was a cat, standing erect no more than four feet tall. His aged, milky fur was streaked with gray and he leaned on a carved wooden staff as if his stubby legs barely supported him.  
  
"K-Karin?" Nemie stuttered.  
  
He nodded. "Yes, I am Karin. And you are Anai and Nemie, Trunks's Saiyan pupils. Adoptive daughters, you might say."  
  
"How...what...but why..." Anai finally gave up trying to speak and held out in her hands in confusion.  
  
Chuckling slightly, Karin took a few wobbling steps toward them. "I am a telepath, I know everything." He cocked his head to the side. "I also know why you've come here."  
  
"The senzu beans." Nemie said. Karin gave an affirmative nod.  
  
Anai sighed in relief. "Well, at least we don't have to explain anything or prove who we are."  
  
Karin started toward the center of the landing, teetering to a large circular table with four intricately carved wooden chairs. "Come, sit down. My old paws are weak and I find it hard to stand for too long."  
  
The girls followed the feline over to the table and sat down.  
  
"Now," Karin said, shifting comfortably, "you want me to give you a bag of senzu beans to take back to your headquarters so you can revive Vegeta."  
  
Anai shrugged. "Well...yeah. You pretty much summed it up."  
  
Leaning across the table, Karin rested his chubby chin on his front paws. "I have a question for you girls. Do you have any idea how much energy it takes to grow even a small crop of senzu beans?"  
  
The twins shook their heads silently.  
  
"I didn't think so. It takes much more than I can spare. Give me one good reason why I should grant you a bag of my beans."  
  
Nemie didn't like the condescending tone the cat was getting. "What?"  
  
"If I give you my beans, then you'll use them to bring Vegeta back. I never cared much for the Prince, so why should I allow you to revive him?"  
  
Nemie took a deep breath to keep her temper under control. It wasn't working. "Maybe because if Vegeta isn't brought back, we'll lose this war for sure."  
  
"And how does that concern me?"  
  
Nemie stood up, despite Anai's forceful hand on her arm. "It concerns EVERYONE. If the Dark Army succeeds in dominating the planet, Earth is doomed. In case you haven't noticed, you're on Earth, and whatever happened to Kami's Lookout will happen to the rest of this tower, too."  
  
"Nemie, sit down." Anai jerked on her sister's arm, pulling the white-haired Saiyan back into her chair.  
  
Karin sat back, a smile on his face. "Point taken."  
  
Nemie gaped at Karin. "Huh?"  
  
"You make a good argument, Nemie." His grin widened. "I was testing you...seeing just how badly you wanted these senzu beans, how far you would fight to get them."  
  
"So...you'll give us a bag of beans?" Anai asked.  
  
Karin sighed. "In the past, the Z Fighters were the only ones I handed the beans out to, and even then sparingly. But now, all the Z Fighters are gone...even my dear friend Yarjirobe. You Renegades are the closest thing to the Earth's Special Forces. I am very old, and I can feel my time dwindling every day. Once I'm gone, there will be no more senzu beans." He stood up and waddled almost painfully over to a small cabinet built into the nearby wall. He pulled out a cloth bag no bigger than a softball and made his way back to the table. Tossing the bag on the table, he continued. "There are thirty-five beans in there. The biggest crop I've harvested in a very long time. One bean will provide nourishment to a person for ten days. Don't waste them. These are the last senzu beans that will ever be produced."  
  
Anai reached out and gingerly picked up the bag. "I don't know how to thank you enough, Karin."  
  
Karin shrugged, suddenly weary. "Win this war, restore Earth to the way it was before." He spared a smile. "And come back for a visit every now and then. I'm lonely out here with no one to play cards with."  
  
Anai chuckled and stood up. Nemie scratched her head.  
  
"Um, I'm sorry about yelling at you..."  
  
Karin dismissed it with a wave of his paw. "I understand. You remind me of Trunks. Both of you do. He-" The feline stopped short, his fur bristling with anxiety.  
  
"What's wrong?" Anai asked, leaning forward with concern.   
  
"You two must go back as quickly as possible. Something's happened at your headquarters."  
  
"Can you tell what?"  
  
Karin shook his head. "No. We are much too far away and my abilities are not what they used to be. Go, as fast as you can fly. Don't waste any time."  
  
Nemie cursed. "Ryukin must have found our base and he's after Vegeta!"  
  
"Let's fly." Anai stuffed the beans in her armor and the girls ran for the edge of the platform. "Thank you again Karin! We owe you!"  
  
"Be careful!" Karin replied as the two launched themselves from the landing and sped away, their aura's flashing yellow as they turned Super Saiyan.  
  
"What are we going to do, Anai?" Nemie asked, shouting over the roar of the wind.  
  
"I don't know yet. If the Army's found our base, the others might be able to fight them off until we get there..." Her voice trailed off. She knew the Renegades wouldn't stand a chance if Pichu showed up with a horde of hellhounds.  
  
That thought alone made Anai push her power further to increase her speed. Nemie had to work to keep up.  
  
"Anai! You're going to hurt yourself! Slow down!" Nemie yelled.  
  
Anai shook her head forcefully and drove herself to ascend to Super Saiyan level 2. It was rare that the twins ever did so. Her wild mane of hair broke out of its ponytail and became more jagged and raised, except for the one thick lock that hung in her eyes.  
  
She ignored Nemie's warning cry and left her sister in a flash. Nemie reluctantly followed Anai's lead just to stay close.  
  
The sun was setting when the girls finally entered the sector where their headquarters was hidden.  
  
Anai slowed down, letting her ki diminish and reverting back to normal. She didn't want the Army to know she was coming.  
  
"How did they find the base?" Nemie wondered, flying just below her sister.  
  
"I don't know and I don't care. I just hope to Kami that no one's hurt."  
  
They approached the cliff that housed the Renegade headquarters and hovered above it for a moment. Nothing seemed out of place.  
  
"What do we do, fearless leader?" Nemie asked softly.  
  
Anai didn't answer at first. She scanned the area and pointed to the lake on the other side of the cliff. "Back entrance. We'll sneak in from behind."  
  
The girls flew over the bluff to float a few feet off the lake. The water was perfectly calm; only the tiniest of waves rippled across the blue-green surface where the girls' energy disturbed it. The water reflected the red, purple, orange and pink light from the slowly setting sun. It would have been beautiful if the twins hadn't been so nervous.  
  
"Ready?" Anai asked. Nemie nodded.  
  
They both sucked in a deep breath before diving straight down to the bottom of the lake. They swam along the sandy floor until they came to a long metal tube with an airlock door. Anai punched a button on the waterproof keypad and hurriedly scanned her fingerprint to gain access. The airlock hatch opened with an audible hiss and a string of bubbles rose rapidly to the surface. The girls swam in and closed the door behind them. Immediately after the hatch was sealed, the water drained out, leaving the six foot tall tunnel relatively dry.  
  
Nemie allowed her ki to flare only slightly, the heat from it drying both Saiyans instantly. With Nemie in front, the twins stared their cautious walk into the base.  
  
Once they reached the entryway that lead into the ready room, they stopped. Anai concentrated on feeling any unusual ki signatures inside, but she felt nothing. Taking a deep, steadying breath, she nodded to Nemie, who flung the door open and flew inside. Anai was right on her heels.  
  
Before Anai even had a chance to see anything, something heavy landed solidly on the back of her neck, making her knees crumple like paper beneath her and her vision go black.  
***  
When Anai opened her eyes, her vision was still blurry and it took a few seconds before she could see clearly. She felt a dull ache at the base of her neck where she'd been hit, but other than that she could feel nothing.  
  
Blinking a few times, Anai realized she was lying on her back and a face was leering over her. Her heart skipped a beat and her stomach churned at the realization of who it was.  
  
Tiger-orange hair that stuck out in odd, disheveled angles; corrupt red eyes; pale, almost sickly grayish colored skin; and a twisted, baneful smirk that made a person's blood run cold. General Ryukin himself, the leader of the Dark Army and the most powerful warrior in the universe.  
  
"Ryukin." Anai spat, overcoming her sudden fear.  
  
"Ah, glad to see you're awake, my dear. I was afraid Fain had hit you too a little too hard." His voice was like a tainted sword, cold, dark and very dangerous.  
  
"Where's Nemie? And the others?" Anai demanded, forcing herself to sit up despite her spinning head.  
  
"I'm here, Anai." Nemie said gruffly from not far away. She was sitting on the ground, her hands bound behind her with ki-suppressing shackles. A lanky dark-haired woman stood over her dominantly.  
  
Anai looked around and saw the others restrained in a similar way, each with a soldier standing over them. Mercay was thrashing wildly, merely growling when his guard struck him with a large electric rod. Silva sat submissively with her head down, her violet hair hiding her tear-strained face. Ren struggled against his manacles uselessly, rage barely controlled in his dark eyes. Lorn was simply unconscious from being beaten with a 50,000-volt cattle prod.  
  
But wait...that wasn't all the Renegades. Someone was missing.  
  
"Kyris!" Anai exclaimed. "Where's Kyris?"  
  
"Oh, you mean him?" Ryukin asked, motioning toward the front doorway.  
  
Anai looked to where he pointed, afraid she would see a bloody body, but was not prepared for what she did see.  
  
Kyris stood straight and tall, his arms crossed over his chest and a huge, triumphant grin plastered across his handsome face. He was dressed in the Dark Army's maroon armor; a medal with a gold blade symbol hung on his breast.  
  
"What..." Anai watched as Kyris walked over to stand next to Ryukin.  
  
"My darling child, I'd like to introduce you to Major Kyris DeLar, one of my most loyal officers." Ryukin said proudly, clapping the boy on the shoulder like a father would do to a son.  
  
Anai sat dumbfounded. She swore under her breath and shook her head sadly.  
  
"No..." Nemie whispered before launching into a vulgar barrage of curses and insults directed toward her former friend. She strained against her chains, only to grunt in pain when her guard stabbed her with an electric prod.  
  
"I was surprised how easily I slipped in and gained your trust." Kyris said, still smiling. "It was so simple it's almost not fair."  
  
Ryukin leaned toward Anai and snatched the bag of senzu beans by the cloth edge that poked out of her armor. "I was hoping you would find out about these beautiful little things."  
  
"You knew we were going to find Vegeta. That's why you let us get away with him." Anai said slowly, all the answers becoming clear. "You could regrow his body, but his energy was a problem. So you let us take him and find the senzu beans to reanimate him." Anai sighed. "It was right there under my nose the whole time."  
  
"It's amazing, the little monkey figured it out." Ryukin gloated. He leaned in close to whisper in Anai's ear. "I created you, child, don't you think I would know how your mind works?"  
  
Anger suddenly bubbled up inside of her. She rocked back on her hips and extended her legs to kick Ryukin squarely in the face. As he staggered back, it was like a domino effect with the Renegades. They attacked their guards as best they could before anyone could react. Unfortunately, they weren't fast enough and they were enveloped in raw electricity.  
  
The last thing Anai heard before fading out again was Ryukin's barked order, "Grab Vegeta. We'll deal with these pests when we get back to base." 


	6. The Prince Awakens

A/N: I make no promises about this chapter. It's just one of those "write it and move on" chapters. I had a hard time with it, and it shows. Gomen nasai. The next part should be better. As usual, arigatou Ember-chan and Anai.  
  
  
  
Part 6-The Prince Awakens  
  
  
A voice echoed in Nemie's mind, a ghost of the past that hadn't been heard in years. A voice that Nemie longed to hear again, strong and real. Trunks's voice. From when she was very young. Firefly. Trunks's nickname for her. He had called Anai Sunny.   
Her master's voice faded into a silken, urgent tone. "Nemie! Come on, sis, wake up!"  
  
Nemie opened her eyes at the sound of Anai's call. "What..." She sat up and looked around.  
  
She was no longer bound, she rejoiced for that. Being cut off from her ki made her feel useless and feeble. But, she was in an energy cell. She sat on a cold, circular platform inside a cylinder of translucent, shimmering white energy. Nemie could see through the force field, but everything was slightly distorted and blurred. Outside her cell, she saw a large screen hanging on the opposite wall. On each side of her were cells identical to hers; the one on the right contained Anai, the one on the left held Mercay.  
  
With a sigh, Nemie pressed her back against the energy wall. It held as if it were solid concrete. She knew that if she tried to throw a blast in there, it would simply bounce back and disintegrate her.  
  
"Nemie, are you okay?" Anai asked, pressing her hands against the wall and peering into her sister's cell.  
  
Nemie looked herself over and nodded. "Yeah, I'm a little groggy and burned, but nothing serious. What about the others?"  
  
"Lorn doesn't remember anything and he's been sick a couple times. I think they gave him   
tranquilizers. Other than that, we're alright."  
  
"What's happened? Has Ryukin brought Vegeta back yet?"  
  
Anai shook her head sadly. "Not yet. I don't know what's keeping him."  
  
"He was waiting for you all to wake up so you can witness it yourselves." A voice spoke up. They all turned to see Kyris sitting in a chair in the corner of the room, guarding them closely.  
  
Nemie curled her lip and stood up to face the blond. "Come here and let me rip your face off, you bloodthirsty traitor."  
  
"You don't need to get mean, Nemie. You're all lucky Ryukin's blessing you by letting you see this event. I asked to kill you myself, but he wants you to watch the beginning of the end before you die." Kyris stood up and walked toward Nemie's cell. "Exciting, isn't it?" His once reckless smile was now bone-chillingly cruel.  
  
Nemie snarled at him like a feral beast. "And to think I was actually starting to like you."  
  
Kyris reached out his hand and, because of the energy-deflecting wristband he wore, was able to slide his hand through the enclosure wall. He gently ran his knuckles across Nemie's jawline.  
  
"Why don't you join us, Nemie? It's so much more fun, and the freedom is amazing! We do whatever we want and no one can stop us." He asked, his pale blue eyes searching her deep blue ones.  
  
Nemie turned her face toward his hand and savagely bit his fingers.  
  
Kyris jerked back with a curse of pain and his eyes shone with anger. He threw a hasty punch that snapped Nemie's head back and slammed her against the other side of the cell.  
  
He continued to swear as the Renegades burst into taunting laughter.  
  
"Gotta be careful around Nemie," Ren said mockingly, "her bite's worse than her bark."  
  
Anai grinned heartlessly. "My sister likes pork. You shouldn't get too close, pig."  
  
"All of you shut up!" Kyris growled. "Or I'll kill you right now regardless of what Ryukin wants!"  
  
Nemie straightened slowly and rubbed her tender jaw. She met Kyris's eyes and wiped the trickle of blood from her chin with the back of her hand. It wasn't her blood, it was his.  
  
Kyris glared at her, then spun to push a button on the control panel on the wall. The giant screen sprang to life and the face of a bald, deep purple skinned woman came into view.  
  
"What is it, Major?"  
  
"Lieutenant Jaque, inform the General that the prisoners are awake."  
  
"Right away, sir." The screen went blank for a second, then changed to a new scene. The infirmary, where Vegeta lay still unconscious. Ryukin stood to one side of him, Pichu sat in a chair in the corner, one doctor in a lab coat leaned over a computer close by, and two other guards were posted just inside the door.  
  
Ryukin turned to face the screen, a smirk plastered across his face. "Glad to see all of you awake. You're just in time to see the miracle that's going to wipe this little planet out."  
  
"What makes you think he'll even work for you, Ryukin?" Lorn asked, suddenly defiant. "He was enslaved by Frieza for so long, he won't ever go back into bondage again."  
  
"Believe me, Alikai, I am well aware of Vegeta's past. But I intend to 'promote' him and make him believe he is in charge." The general's smirk grew wider. "I have been planning a lie so flawless that he'll have no doubts."  
  
The Renegades were silent. There was nothing they could say or do, except watch helplessly.  
  
With a slight nod, Ryukin chuckled roughly. "And to think you risked everything just for the sake of this Saiyan. Pure foolishness." He turned to the old man in the lab coat. "Doctor, give him the senzu bean now."  
  
The man complied without a word, taking one bean out of the bag and moving to stand next to Vegeta. He stuffed the bean into the Saiyan's mouth and waited for it to take affect.  
  
There was nothing but stillness for a few moments. The anxiety rose in both rooms, and the Renegades were silently praying to Kami that this didn't backfire.  
  
Finally, Vegeta's hands clenched into fists and his eyes slid open. It took a minute for his vision to focus, and when it did, he sucked in a surprised gasp. He sat up quickly, looking around, a mixture of emotions twisting his harsh face. The dominant one was confusion.  
  
Anai breathed in sharply. Those eyes...so dark and desolate. It was then did she see the true   
Prince of the Saiyans...cold, deeply scarred and grave. She wondered in the back of her mind if bringing him back was such a good idea.  
  
"What in the nine hells..." Vegeta said, his voice raspy.  
  
Ryukin quickly spoke up. "Prince Vegeta, I'm glad to see you finally awake."  
  
Vegeta swung his stony gaze toward the general. "Who are you? What's going on?"  
"Allow me to explain. I am General Ryukin of the Dark Army." Ryukin cleared his throat. "What do you remember?"  
  
The Saiyan's brow pinched together as he thought. "I...was in Hell. For a very long time. I was dead."  
  
"You died trying to kill Majin Buu."  
  
"Yes, I did. How am I here now? And where's Buu? And Kakarot?"  
  
"We, the Dark Army, destroyed Majin Buu a few weeks after you sacrificed yourself. That was over forty years ago. As for Goku, the man you call Kakarot..." He pointed toward the monitor. "Their kind killed him, many years ago."  
  
The Renegades just stood there, shocked. Ren recovered first.  
  
"Lying baka!" He shouted. "Goku was already dead!"  
  
Vegeta's eyes widened slightly. "Who are they?"  
  
"Let me start from the beginning." Ryukin said calmly, as if he'd rehearsed it. "After you died, my father, who lead the Dark Army then, destroyed Babidi and Buu. The Z Fighters joined us and we soon were the protectors of Earth. Then a group of evil Renegades appeared and began ransacking the world, killing people for sport. They built up their forces and attempted to destroy the planet, but we stood in their way. In one of our many battles, the remaining Z Fighters were lost. These six you see now are the only Renegades left. They are the reason you are alive today; they brought your body back in hopes of lying to you and making you a tool in their total domination. The Army rescued you and finally found a way to wake you from your coma."  
Vegeta stared at the screen, taking in the information. Suddenly his features softened just slightly.  
  
"What of...my wife and son?"  
  
Ryukin had been waiting for that question. It was the coupe de grace that would make him believe.   
"Do you see that redheaded girl? When we arrived on the scene, she was standing over Bulma's burned body with Trunks's head in her hands."  
  
Anai's mouth dropped at the accusation. Her heart beat heavily in her chest when Vegeta's rage-filled stare fell on her. Somehow, she was able to find her voice.  
  
"Lies! All of it! Vegeta, please don't listen to him!" She cried.  
  
But Vegeta turned away. "What do you want from me?"  
  
Ryukin seemed taken aback. "Whatever do you mean?"  
  
"You woke me for a reason. What do you want?"  
  
Ryukin shook his head, his blood red eyes filled with false innocence. "We only ask for your assistance in ridding the world, and others if needed, of true evils such as these."  
  
Vegeta crossed his arms over his chest. "I am no freedom fighter. Unlike that fool Kakarot, I have no use for peace and happiness." He practically spat the word. Then his shoulders slumped.   
"Without war, I have nothing left to live for."  
  
Nemie looked at Anai. A flicker of hope flashed in their eyes. Maybe, just maybe, the Army's plan won't work.  
  
"Vegeta, we need your help. There are no shortages of battles in this line of work." Pichu spoke up. A wicked smile crossed her features. "At times, you almost feel like the bad guy."  
  
Ryukin shot his colonel a warning look. She would ruin all of this if she didn't keep her mouth shut.  
  
Vegeta stood up slowly. "I have no reason to live anymore, with my wife and child gone."  
  
"We can give you purpose, Vegeta." Ryukin almost purred, feeling he was just inches from victory.   
"You will be one of the highest officers, just a notch below my status. You'll have unlimited power."  
  
The prince hesitated, considering. The Renegades held their breath, waiting for his answer.  
Finally, he sighed. "Very well. I will join you." 


	7. The Truth

A/N: Nothing to say at the moment. Hope you enjoy this chapter, it explains the Renegade's history in a little more depth. R/R!  
  
  
Part 7-The Truth  
  
Nemie pounded her hands against the energy wall frantically. "NO! Don't do it!" When Vegeta ignored her, she turned her rant against Ryukin. "I'll KILL you! You bastard!" She continued to scream and curse at him until he chuckled.  
  
"Turn off the monitor." He said to the guard. To the Renegade's collective dismay, the screen went black.  
  
Nemie didn't notice or care. She persisted in her tirade, shouting unbelievably profane imprecations and slamming her fists into the wall.  
  
"Nemie!" Mercay snapped, "Stop it!"  
  
The white-haired Saiyan paused for a moment. Her hate-filled gaze shifted to the Namek. "Don't tell me what to do, Mercay. I'm not in the mood to deal with your haughty attitude."  
  
"I'm not being haughty, Nemie. I'm trying to figure out what to do, and I can't think with you screaming like that."  
  
Nemie grimaced and flopped down with a huff. She picked nervously at the torn edges of the blue spandex that made up her armor.  
  
Kyris, whom had been forgotten for the moment, sauntered over to stand in front of the cells. He had a sickeningly delighted grin on his face.  
  
"Looks like we're going to win after all."  
  
Anai looked up from the floor with a bored expression. "Kyris, shut up. We've heard all we want to hear from you or anyone else. Just shut up."  
  
He snorted. "Fine. I'll leave you in peace for you remaining few hours." With that, he spun on his heel and marched out of the room.  
  
"What are we going to do?" Silva asked, her voice wavering as if she was about to cry.  
  
"We're going to get out of here, one way or another." Anai answered flatly. "We just have to think of a way."  
  
Nemie kicked the wall as hard as she could. Nothing happened. Even the strength of a Saiyan was useless. "We can't use force."  
  
"You Saiyans are always thinking with your fists." Lorn said. "It's going to take a little strategy to escape this time."  
  
"I'm open to suggestions." Ren stated.  
  
Anai sat up suddenly. "I still have my capsules! Silva, what did you pack in there again?"  
  
"Nothing of any use here." Was the disheartening reply. "Just food, clothes, a house, a first aid kit and a map. Oh, and your video."  
  
Cursing softly, Anai settled back into her slumped position. "Okay, then, we'll have to figure out something else. Everybody be quiet and let me think."  
  
For the next hour, the room was silent except for the dull humming of the energy walls and the occasional rustle of clothing when someone shifted position. Each Renegade's mind was racing with possible means of escape, none of them of any real help.  
  
The silence was broken when the door to the prison slid open with a hiss.  
  
They looked up as a figure walked into the room. Vegeta. He was dressed in the same maroon armor as the rest of the Army and the same black cloak that Ryukin and Pichu wore, only his insignia was three stars. Ryukin's was four stars, naming him a four-star general...that meant Vegeta was a three-star general. Exactly as Ryukin had promised, Vegeta was only one notch below absolute power.  
  
Anai and Nemie stood up, holding their heads high. This was their adoptive grandfather, in a way, and they were determined to be brave during their first face-to-face meeting.  
  
Vegeta ignored the rest of the Renegades. He stalked right in front of Anai's cell and crossed his arms over his chest. He stared her straight in the eye, his gaze level and cold.  
  
Anai felt herself begin to sweat under that stare. He was far more formidable than she had ever imagined. She could sense his enormous ki, more powerful than her and Nemie combined. Her knees began to quake when he continued to glare silently at her. She was terrified.  
  
At length, his gaze shifted to Nemie. Nemie returned to look, but with a tinge of fear in her eyes. Anai knew that for Nemie to show even the slightest bit of fright, she had to be scared close to insanity.  
  
Finally, Vegeta spoke. "How did you get Saiyan armor?"  
  
Nemie couldn't answer for her fear, but somehow Anai found her voice.  
  
"Our computer made it from Bulma Brief's files."  
  
The Prince's eyes darkened at the mention of his wife. "And where did you get the files? Stole them from the Capsule Corp. building after you killed her?"  
  
Anai shook her head. "No. We didn't kill Bulma or Trunks. Trunks gave them to us."  
  
Vegeta's cold eyes flashed. "That's not what I heard."  
  
"Well you heard wrong." Nemie spoke up.  
  
"Vegeta, we are Saiyans." Anai said. "We're one of you."  
  
His face remained blank, but his eyes betrayed his surprise. "That's not possible. You lie."  
  
"If you'd allow us to tell our story, you'd understand a little better." Anai offered. "You might even find that ours is more believable than Ryukin's, because our side is the truth."  
  
Cocking his head slightly in thought, Vegeta considered her proposal. Finally, he nodded. "Fine. Tell your story, but be quick. I'm not supposed to be here."  
  
Anai nodded and started from the beginning. She told how, after Vegeta was killed fighting Buu, the Dark Army came and attempted to dominate the planet. "Very slowly, he took out the Z Fighters one by one. Soon, only two were left: Trunks and Goten. Along with Bulma, Marron and Chi-Chi, they set up an underground base and began searching for anyone who might have been able to fight. Those were the very first Renegades. Later, Goten was killed in battle. Chi-Chi died not too long after, of simple grief. Marron was captured, raped and left to die. Bulma died of old age about ten years ago." Anai waited for a reaction from Vegeta, and when she got none, continued with the story. She explained how Trunks found them in test tubes during an Army compound infiltration, rescued them, and raised them. Then Ryukin killed him. She finished by telling Vegeta of the events of the last few days.  
  
When Anai finally fell silent, Vegeta shook his head. "How am I to know which of your accounts is true? Do you have any proof of your side?"  
  
Anai blinked. "Proof? I...don't think so..."  
  
Suddenly, Silva's voice called, "The holo-vid!"  
  
The redhead's eyes lit up. "Yes! Yes, I do have proof!" She reached into the hidden pocket of her armor and pulled out her capsule box. She found the right capsule and clicked the release button. When the puff of smoke dissipated, a small, hand-held video computer was left.  
  
Anai picked up the computer and pushed a button. Instantly, a hologram screen popped up and a video began to play.  
  
Vegeta watched with interest. It was nothing more than a home movie, but he could clearly make out the people on the jumpy screen. It was two young children of about eight years: one with white hair and one with red. And...a man with lavender hair. His hair was shorter, and his face was scarred, but his eyes were the crystal blue. The same blue as his mother's.  
  
"Trunks?" Vegeta's voice was choked with barely restrained emotion. His eyes shined with unshed tears.  
  
Nemie nodded and replied softly, "He treated us like his own children...he taught us everything we know."  
  
Vegeta turned away. "I've seen enough." He turned quickly and rushed out of the room. 


	8. Friend or Foe

A/N: Here's the next part, a little late, but it's up now.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ (if I did, I wouldn't be as poor as I am now) and I'm not professionally affiliated with DBZ in any shape or form.  
  
  
Part Eight-Friend or Foe  
  
Hours passed without any kind of interaction with Dark Warriors. The Renegades were getting restless, sealed up in their cramped little tubes. Conversation was almost nonexistent except for curt, vain suggestions of escape.  
  
"Why isn't Vegeta helping us?" Ren asked finally. "Does he still not believe us or something?"  
  
Anai shook her head. "It's not that he doesn't believe us, this whole situation is hard to accept. Imagine waking up one day and finding that everything you've ever loved, and taken for granted, is gone."  
  
"And a bunch of strangers are feeding you stories and expecting you to believe one and kill the other." Nemie added. "That's too much for one person to handle, even the Prince of Saiyans."  
  
About that time, the screen on the opposite wall came on in a bright flash of color. Ryukin's nauseatingly cheerful face appeared, a Cheshire cat grin on his gray-hued face.  
  
Nemie groaned. "What NOW?! Have you come to gloat some more?!"  
  
Ryukin shook his head, his smile never fading. "Of course not, my dear. I've got a much better purpose this time. I've come to tell you how you'll die."  
  
"I wish you'd hurry up and put us out of our misery; I'm getting sick of hearing your voice." Mercay growled.  
  
"Ah, a Namek with a sense of humor," Ryukin laughed heartily, still grinning, "what a rare find. But back to the point. You'll all die tomorrow morning, bright and early. I've decided that my new 'second in command' will have the honor of killing you himself...a sort of revenge, you might say."  
  
"You're making Vegeta kill us?" Silva squeaked.  
  
"Make is hardly the word. It was his idea."  
  
There was a collective gasp from the Renegades.  
  
"I guess that means he didn't believe us." Anai whispered bitterly.  
  
The general glanced away from the screen and seemed to be listening to a voice in the background. Then he turned back to his prisoners. "Sadly, that's all the news I have. There's other pressing business I must tend to, so I'll leave you to yourselves for a while. See you in the morning!"  
  
Nemie managed a vulgar sign with her fingers before the screen went black. Then she sighed and muttered a curse to herself. She spun in her cell, suddenly feeling very claustrophobic.  
  
"This is just GREAT!" She shouted angrily, punching the wall. "We risked everything trying to help this moron and what does he do to repay us? He KILLS us!" She powered up and went Super Saiyan, her rage clouding her judgment.  
  
"Nemie, NO!" Anai yelled, to no avail.  
  
Instead of letting loose a deadly blast as her sister feared, Nemie continued to let her fury explode in a hot, yellow aura. The jagged edges of her burning aegis licked at the wall. To everyone's surprise, the energy wall shuddered visibly under the heat.  
  
What if...oh Kami, that's it! Anai thought. She called to Nemie over the girl's screaming.  
  
"Sis, kick it up! Make it hotter! More intense!"  
  
Nemie appeared to not be listening, so Anai took a different approach.  
  
"FINE! Throw your temper tantrum! Scream and yell and throw your ki around like a immature little brat!"  
  
The white-haired Saiyan just screamed louder.  
  
Mercay quickly caught on and joined in. "See? I told you she's nothing but an airhead teenager. She can't even control her temper!"  
  
Nemie's madness deepened and her ki began to glow a brighter gold. The walls of the cell slowly began to bow outward, stretching at the top and bottom.  
  
The other Renegades soon understood what was happening and decided to help.  
  
"Will you ever grow up, Nemie?" Ren shouted at her. "You're eighteen years old for Kami's sake!"  
  
"She's never going to be a real fighter! You hear that Nemie? NEVER!" Lorn added savagely.  
  
"Look at her! She's gone hysterical! Get over it Nemie, act your age!" Silva exclaimed.  
  
The energy pushed the wall out even farther. Only a little more to go...  
  
Anai's mind raced for something that would send Nemie over the edge. Suddenly, the answer came.  
  
"You're no Saiyan, you're just an unruly, spoiled child!"  
  
That did it. Nemie snapped. Her hair spiked up almost straight, her aura glowed deep gold and expanded, pushing violently on the energy wall. With a strangled cry, her ki erupted outward, shattering the prison shield.  
  
The others cheered until Nemie collapsed onto the cold metal floor. Her hair went limp and her golden ki dissipated. Her face was drenched with sweat and her chest heaved with her labored breathing.  
  
Almost immediately, the door slid open and a red hellhound ran in, its teeth bared and wiry fir bristled. Two guards, a male and female, darted in behind it.  
  
Anai groaned with defeat. She should have known. Hellhounds were ki hunters; they tracked down all strange energy signatures within their range.  
  
The dog stood over Nemie, snarling and making a half-bark, half-roar sound.  
  
The male guard grabbed Nemie's arms and picked her up while the female patted the hound on the head for its good work.  
  
"Not a very good escape plan, bakas." The man said with a sneer. "All you managed to accomplish is sending your friend to Ryukin's private incarceration. He'll figure out what to do with her."  
  
Anai pressed her hands against the shimmering barrier and glared at the guards. "If this wall wasn't between us..."  
  
"But it is, Renegade. That's all that matters." The woman said with an evil laugh. They turned and sauntered out the door, Nemie slung over the man's shoulder like a knapsack.  
  
Once they were gone, Anai felt tears welling up in her eyes. What had she done? She had pushed Nemie to the limit, not even thinking about the consequences. She had sent Nemie to inevitable doom.  
But still...she hadn't even fathomed the depth of her sister's power. If only that level was attainable in battle...  
  
Anai quickly wiped her tears away before they fell and turned to the others. "I can't take this anymore. I have to DO something!"  
  
"Like what Anai? What can we possibly do now?" Mercay asked.  
  
"We could...we can maybe..." She stammered for a moment before sinking to the floor and starting to cry. "I don't know! I JUST DON'T KNOW!"  
***  
  
The guard carried Nemie down one of the many plain hallways, the floor steadily descending. In her drowsy, half-conscious state, Nemie could barely piece together one thought: 'I'm going to die.'  
  
They passed numerous doors on their trek to wherever they were going. Nemie, draped over the guard's shoulder, could see inside a few. A mess hall, a dark office-like place, and a room set aside especially for the hellhounds. Nemie felt the bile rise in her throat at that sight and for a moment she was afraid that was her fate: to be fed alive to those monstrous beasts. She managed a relieved sigh when the guard kept walking.  
  
Finally, the guard stopped at the wide door at the end of the hall. Nemie felt him hesitate and draw a deep breath before knocking twice.   
  
The sharp reply was muffled, "Enter."  
  
The door opened with an airlock hiss and the guard slowly went in.   
Nemie managed to lift her head, but her vision was blurred. She made out the shapes of a circular table and a computer terminal built into the wall. Two people were seated at the table. It took Nemie a considerable amount of time to realize this was Ryukin's personal anteroom; his quarters were just behind a door in the corner.  
Without warning, the guard unceremoniously dropped Nemie on the floor.  
  
"We caught one of the prisoners trying to escape, sir." He said.  
  
One of the indistinct blobs Nemie took as people stood up. "Really? And just how did she manage that?" It was Ryukin; Nemie could tell by his menacing voice.  
  
"She, ah, powered up to, um, a very high level and, uh, broke the-the energy shield."  
  
"That's what that massive ki energy was." The second person spoke up. Vegeta.  
  
Nemie felt her blood run cold. With the two of them, a slow, painful death was inescapable. She blinked a few times to try and clear her vision. It worked, somewhat, and she could see the three people in the room. She still felt unbelievably weak, though.  
  
"Nonsense. No one's power level is that large, not even mine." Ryukin snapped, irritated.  
  
"Don't be a fool, General." Vegeta replied. "It was her. Can't you recognize the similarity in her signature and the power we felt earlier?"  
  
Ryukin paused and glared at Vegeta. He nodded slowly. "Perhaps you are correct, Vegeta." He turned his gaze to the guard, who was standing stock still, sweating profusely. Nemie could smell his fear of the two warriors in front of him.  
  
"You are dismissed, soldier." Ryukin barked.  
  
The guard saluted quickly and all but ran out of the room.  
  
It was then did the two generals turn their attention to their captive.  
  
Nemie carefully got to her feet, swaying slightly as her head spun.   
"What do you plan to do to me?" She asked, trying to make herself sound bolder than she felt.  
  
Ryukin eyed her for a moment, considering her. Being in the same room with him made Nemie's skin crawl; evil radiated from him like a light bulb.  
  
Ryukin's red eyes lit up suddenly, and took on a look that made Nemie want to heave. "I think I'd better keep an eye on you until the morning. There's a vault in my quarters that you'd be...safe...in."  
Nemie's face paled. She caught the underlying tone in his voice, and it put a new fear into her heart.  
  
Vegeta said nothing, so Ryukin grabbed Nemie by the braid and dragged her into the next room. She was still too weak to fight back, so all she could do was scream.  
  
The next room was large and luxurious compared to the rest of the compound. A large bed was the dominant element in the room, a holo-screen hung on one wall, an energy cell sat in the corner, and next to the cell were ki-suppressing shackles. The lights were low; Ryukin was sensitive to bright lights so he kept to his dark room. But what made Nemie's breath catch was the array of torture devices hanging along the walls.  
  
Only then did Nemie comprehend how grimly sadistic her captor was. She tried with all her remaining strength to fight him off as he threw her in the cell and activated the energy barrier.  
  
Nemie lay sprawled across the circular platform, too tired and powerless to move. She felt drained to the point she was afraid that her energy would never come back. She knew it would take time, but that was the one commodity she didn't have.  
  
"Vegeta..." She whimpered softly, lifting her head to look at the resurrected Saiyan, "please help me. Help us."  
  
Vegeta watched her, no emotion in those hard onyx eyes. He just shook his head and turned away.  
  
Suddenly the holo-screen on the wall turned on, the face of a middle-aged man lighting up the darkened room.  
  
Ryukin squinted against the abrupt brightness. "What is it, Private?"  
  
"Excuse the intrusion, sir, but Colonel Pichu wishes to speak to you in the War Hall." The man said stonily.  
  
"Very well. Tell her I will be there shortly."  
  
"Yes, sir." The screen blinked out.  
  
Ryukin looked at Vegeta. "I hate to leave the girl alone, considering the damage she could do if she managed to get loose again. I need to find Kyris to watch her."  
  
"Don't bother." Vegeta said. "I'll guard her."  
  
"My thanks, General Vegeta."  
  
"Sure." Vegeta's voice was almost dripping with sarcasm. Ryukin either didn't notice or didn't care. "Just go on."  
  
Ryukin gave Nemie a hideous smile before turning to leave.  
  
As soon as the door closed behind him, Vegeta faced his adoptive granddaughter. They locked glares for a second until Vegeta reached over to the control pad and switched the energy field off.  
  
Nemie sat up slowly, surprise evident on her face. "What are you doing?"  
  
Ignoring the question, Vegeta leaned in toward her. "How well can you act?"  
  
"I don't know...pretty well, why?"  
  
"Because we're going to have to put on quite a show for this idiot if we're going to get your friends out of here." 


End file.
